A Brief History of Japan
                                            
                                                            by Jonathan Clements
                                                        
                                2020-04-19 15:03:29
                            
                            
                         
                                        
                                                                                                This fascinating history tells the story of the people of Japan, from ancient teenage priest-queens to teeming hordes of salarymen, a nation that once sought to conquer China, yet also shut itself away for two centuries in self-imposed seclusion.Firs...
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                                                This fascinating history tells the story of the people of Japan, from ancient teenage priest-queens to teeming hordes of salarymen, a nation that once sought to conquer China, yet also shut itself away for two centuries in self-imposed seclusion.First revealed to Westerners in the chronicles of Marco Polo, Japan was a legendary faraway land defended by a fearsome Kamikaze storm and ruled by a divine sovereign.  It was the terminus of the Silk Road, the furthest end of the known world, a fertile source of inspiration for European artists, and an enduring symbol of the mysterious East. In recent times, it has become a powerhouse of global industry, a nexus of popular culture, and a harbinger of post-industrial decline.With intelligence and wit, author Jonathan Clements blends documentary and storytelling styles to connect the past, present and future of Japan, and in broad yet detailed strokes reveals a country of paradoxes: a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes resting on the world''s most active earthquake zone; a fast-paced urban and technologically advanced country whose land consists predominantly ofmountains and forests.Among the chapters in this Japanese history book are:   -   The Way of the Gods: Prehistoric and Mythical Japan   -   A Game of Thrones: Minamoto vs. Taira   -   Time Warp: 200 Years of Isolation   -   The Stench of Butter: Restoration and Modernization   -   The New Breed: The Japanese Miracle
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